Hello everyone!
I have been quite short on Six Sentence Sunday offerings the past few weeks. May have to pick the bones of the stories I've already visited. In the interim, it may seem I've fallen back into my hermit ways but not so much really. I've spent the last few weekends out experiencing some amazing things. Last weekend I had the fantastic opportunity to pet a few sturgeons. Sturgeons are the largest fish living in the Idaho rivers reaching about 6 to 8 feet long, although outside of Idaho they can reach 13 feet and 2000 pounds and they can live for over 100 years. For a guy who doesn't get out much, petting such ancient creatures is absolutely amazing. They feel like silky neoprene.
In other news, because I'm so short on SSS posts I'll offer a short excerpt from my short story On The Turning Away. Logan is a writer, of course, and he's been writing feverishly on a manuscript about a childhood friend who committed suicide when he was young. This event damaged his psyche dramatically. The following is actually the end of the story (spoiler alert), where Logan finally lets go of the pain he's been harboring for so many years.
All he ever wanted was to be somebody’s hero.Along the horizon, a grayish purple haze slowly overtook the sky, bringing with it a stronger northeastern wind. Golden-red maple leaves waltzed in and out among the base of the trees; several of them pausing to pay their regards as they passed, swirling through and around his legs.He’d become a hard, bitter man, though he had his reasons. His face has been eroded by the trials of his life; his course chiseled chin did nothing to compliment his tempest-laden eyes.A rugged tan trench coat flailed behind him, snapping and crackling as it licked at the wind like the flame of a campfire. As he took in another deep breath, the sweet smell of sandalwood and honeysuckle soothed him.“I’ve spent my whole life reaching…” he said, the words carried off into the shifting wind.“… The sum of who I am is how loosely I hold onto the past, and how tightly I grasp the future.”He took out the rolled stack of papers from inside his coat, holding them firmly. The wind excitedly and curiously took great interest in them, fiercely crinkling through them, desperately trying to rip them from his hands. Tears formed in his eyes as he held them above his head … He slowly opened his hand and allowed the wind to take them.
Hope you enjoy it. I do miss everyone. My goal is to catch up with as many of my favorite blogs as I can this week. I crave your inspiration and kindred spirits.
M.L.
10 comments:
Yay, you're back!
This gives me serious goosebumps! It may become a chronic problem here on this site.. Tempest-laden eyes... seriously, this leaves me speechless, once again. I'm this close to a synapse-overload right now.. Reread!
What a great ending. It's like you have access to a magical spoon, and you stir through my insides with it. This moment is a highlight, and you manage to showcase what you (I firmly believe) were born to do. Classical drama, in and through the eye of the storm.
Nothing wrong with taking a break Mel, though I do miss you blog post and they extra tidbits you give us with your writing. And the bit you offered us here today is yet proof again that you should keep at the writing. You way with descriptions simply amaze me.
A prime example right here: "A rugged tan trench coat flailed behind him, snapping and crackling as it licked at the wind like the flame of a campfire."
And I love this line: “… The sum of who I am is how loosely I hold onto the past, and how tightly I grasp the future.”
This was such a great piece. Thank you for sharing.
Welcome back!
I have seen these sturgeons in a river when I was a little girl, but I didn't pet them.. to think that they are actually millions of years old..wow. Makes me feel so stupid for thinking "yuk" at the time.
Dana and Loni: You are both so awesome. I'm in awe of the sincerity in your comments.
Dana: The “magical spoon” one really floors me. What an amazing image and to have it used to describe how my writing affects you … well, I can't tell you how amazing that makes me feel about my work.
The sturgeons are much more friendly and docile than I'd imagined. being that large I thought they were predators but they are not. They are like dogs that live in water. lol. and not yucky at all. They felt silky. It was very cool.
Loni: Thank you for the kind words. You girls make me believe in my writing and that feels great. Makes me “want” to write and write well.
Oh, ML this is beautiful. Visceral, and the emotions just ooze from it. It feels like you wrote this from someplace deep within your soul. :-)
Hey Mel, I hope you had fun at the wonderful world of Disney. :) Just wanted to tell you that ever since Monday I have this horrible pre-NaNoWriMo crisis ...I want to run away as fast as I can... How are you doing?? Are we doing this??
Thank you for the sentiment Teresa. You picked up on that well. it does come from a very deep and painful place. I appreciate you feeling that.
Dana: I'm having the same crisis. I spend my time at work thinking so intently on my novel and plot points, twists, turns, the ending. Trying to plan it all in my head so I have a place to go with it when the writing starts. Ugh. I have the same urge to run away. I'm not ready but I'll be glad to go it with you. Kindred spirits and all right?
Hey, ML. How ya been? I hope you are busy doing something fun. :-) Take care :-)
Oh, I'll be cheering you guys on during NaNoWriMo. :-) !
Thanks for stopping by Teresa. I've been good. My hermititus has been acting up again. ugh. ;) been planning my novel for the upcoming "event". I'm a little worried. lol. I'm sure it will be an amazing experience. It's great to hear from you.
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